News

Message from Board Chair

Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) was founded in April 1986 when Dr. Borlaug joined forces with Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa, founder of the Nippon Foundation in Japan, and former US President Jimmy Carter, to bring the benefits of science-based agriculture to Africa. In the countries where they worked, the legal entity is known as Sasakawa Global 2000 (SG 2000) including the work of the Carter Center on the health front, for example fighting to eradicate the guinea worm.

Since then, SAA has worked with national agricultural extension programs in 14 African countries and several million farmers to promote the scaling up of modern agricultural technologies that increase the productivity, incomes and food security of smallholders, while protecting the natural resource base that sustains their livelihoods. A value chain approach was adopted addressing postharvest issues, fabricating energy saving, gender sensitive food processing machinery and linking to markets.

This year, 2014 marks the 100th birthday of Dr Norman Borlaug and we in Africa joined the rest of the world to celebrate it in Jinja Uganda, through events that coincided with Uganda’s agricultural week July 7 to 12. Working with Ugandan partners including the government, schools and the National Debating Council, farmers and the Association of farmers in Uganda, Makerere University who organized a separate one day symposium, we were able to put on a very successful show. “Take it to the Farmer” as Dr Borlaug’s last words resonated throughout the week long events.

Professor Ruth Oniang’o, PhD
SAA Board Chair